Australian election phone voting ‘won’t be smooth’ as Covid surge wreaks havoc on poll

Many Australians expected to be in isolation, with AEC staff prevented from accessing hospitals and some aged care facilities

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Phone-in voting will be expanded to accommodate people isolating with Covid but the Australian Electoral Commission is warning the process won't be smooth", as surging coronavirus case numbers complicate polling plans on the eve of the federal election.

Large numbers of Australians are expected to be in isolation come election day, with the pandemic also preventing AEC staff accessing hospitals and some aged care facilities.